Tubing head and blow-out preventer



April 6, 1935. G. A. HUMASON 1,997,731

TUBING HEAD AND BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Filed Nov. 21, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 awe/M300 v guano/fie A 14077745072.

April 16, 1935. G. A. HUMASON TUBING HEAD AND BLOW-OUT PREVENTER 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Nov. 21, 1952 Patented Apr. 16, 1935 PATENT OFFICE- TUBING HEAD AND BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Granville A. Humason, Houston, Tex.

Application November 2 2' Claims,

This invention relates to a tubing head and blowout preventer. An object of the invention is to provide novel means for forming a fluid tight joint between an outer casing and an inner pipe in a well bore, and comprehends also novel means for anchoring the inner pipe in the well and securing it against being blown out by gas pressure in case strong internal pressure is encounteredin the well.

The invention also comprehends a novel type of pressure head with novel means for securing the same about the inner pipe and for anchoring the same to the outer casing. l

The invention also embodies novel means for connecting the inner pipe to the outer casing and which is of such construction as to adapt it for use generally for connecting pipe and the like.

Withthe above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which isgiven in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: j

Figure 1 shows a side view of the tubing head partly in section.

Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view, taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1. I Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view taken the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a side view, partly in section,

- of another form of the apparatus taken on the line L-l of Figure 5.

Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral l designates an outer pipe as, for example, a casing in a well bore and to the upper end of which is attached a tubular head, as for example, a casing head 2. Aroundthe head 2 there is'a turnable lock sleeve 3 which is supported on an external shoulder l of said head. The sleeve 3 has an internal annular channel 5, forming a keyway and opposite this channel there are the vertical seats 6 around the head 2. In said seats i there are rollers as 1 which form keys to prevent the detachment of the lock sleeve 3 from the head 2 and which serve also as antifriction means'to provide for the easy rotation of the sleeve. The keys or rollers "I may be inserted into place, in ling the sleeve 3 on the head, through the oblong opening 8, through 1, 1%2, Serial No. 643,605

the sleeve 3, as said sleeve is turned, and when said keys or rollers 1 are all inserted into their respective seats, the opening 8 may be closed by the closure plate- 9 secured in place in any selected manner as by set screws I0.

The lock sleeve 3 has an inside annular channel II leading upwardly from which are the L ways l2.

' The numeral l3 designates an inside pipe, which is connected to a suitable tubular hanger 10 I4, and this hanger'is provided with the external spaced lugs l5.

When the inner pipe I3 is lowered into the well,

the lugs l5 may pass through the ways I2 and land on the upper end of the head 2 and the looking sleeve 3 maythen be turned so as to carry the ways l2 out of alignment with the lugs I5 and to locate-said lugs IS in the groove 1 I so as to thereby lock the hanger I4 and the inner. pipe 3: to the casing head. .20

It will be noted that the upper end of the head 2 has an inside groove or channel l6 and the hanger M has an external annular shoulder l| which seatsin said channel or groove l6 of said casing head. Beneath the shoulder l'l' the hanger I4 is reduced so as to fit snugly withinthe casing head 2 and leading upwardly from the lower end of said reduced portion there is an annular row of ducts l8.

Counter sunk into the reduced portion of the hanger l4 there is an annular packing member is which has an annular internal chamber therein, into whichsaid ducts I8 lead.

The construction hereinbefore described will form a fluid tight joint between the inner pipe l3 and the-casing I. The fluid, under pressure, in the well may flow out through the pipe l3, and be led off through the flow line 2|. The gas accumulating in the well outside of the pipe l3 may be relieved through outlets 22into which suitable valve controlled lines will be connected.

When a wellis equipped with a. tubing head. of the character above described, t e inner pipe l3 will be securely locked inplace in case of a blowout and a fluid tight joint will be formed '45 between said inner pipe and the casing head and theoil or other iiquid flowing through the pipe l3 as well as the gas accumulating in the casing and may be readily led oil and controlled.

The sections of the flow line may be connected by a fluid tight joint similar to the construction, hereinabove described, for connecting the casing I to the inner pipe, wherein the numeral 23 designates a coupling member corresponding to the casing head 2 and connected to one of the sections of the line 2 I, and the numeral 24 designates a coupling member, corresponding to the hanger I4 and connected to another section of the line 2I. These coupling members 23, 24 are connected by the locking sleeve 3, in the manner hereinbefore described and the packing member I9 forms a fluid tight joint between them.

Referring to the construction shown in Figures 4 to 6 inclusive, there is a hanger I4 mounted in the casing head 2 in a manner similar to the hanger I4 illustrated in Figure 1 and there is a fluid tight joint formed between the lower end of the hanger I4 and the casing head 2 by means of the packing I8 which surrounds the reduced lower end of said hanger I4 and which has an internal chamber with the annular row of ducts I8 leading downwardly therefrom through the lower end of said hanger I4. The hanger I4 has an internal upwardly flared seat in which there is mounted a pressure head 26. This head tapers downwardly to conform to the shape of and to fit closely within said seat 25 and is formed of corresponding, complemental, confronting sections hinged together at their upper ends by means of the hinge 21. The mid-portion of the pressure head may be formed of resilient material such as rubber, forming a. packing 28 having an internal annular chamber 29 with the ducts 30 leading downwardly therefrom and communicating with the annular space 3| around the inner pipe I3 and between it and the lower end of the pressure head. The gas pressure thus accumulating in the casing outside of the inner pipe I3 may enter the chamber 29 and expand the packing 28 forming close joints between the pressure head and the seat 25 as well as between the pressure head and the inner pipe I3. The pressure head 26 is composed, with the exception of the packing 28, of suitable metal having the internal downwardly pitched teeth 3I and upwardly pitched teeth. 32 to engage and hold the inner pipe I3. The pressure head, in application to the pipe I3, may be opened and latched around said pipe. Latch means is provided by forming a mortise in one section of the head into which a tenon 34 of the other section may fit when the head is closed about the inner pipe.

There is a spring seated dog 35 arranged to project into a recess 36, in said'tenon, to latch the parts in closed position about the inner pipe I3. This dog is slidably mounted in the other section of the head and may be released by inserting a suitable implement through the slot 31 of said last mentioned section and into a hole 38 of said dog whereby the dog may be released and the sections of the pressure head swung open on the hinge 21. At the lower end of the pressure head each section is provided with an external dovetailed keyway 39 and in these keyways the arcuate dovetailed keys 40 are fitted and when the sections of the pressure head are latched about the inner pipe the keys 40 may be moved about end has the inwardly extending lugs 44. This.

retainer cap has a side opening so that it may be passed about the pipe I3 above the hanger l4 and the lugs 44 aligned above the gates 42 and the retainer cap then lowered and turned so as to carry the lugs 44 around into the groove 4I whereby said retainer cap 43 will be locked in place and in turn will lock the pressure head 4I securely in the hanger I4.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination a casing head, a hanger therein having an upwardly flared seat, a sleeve rotatably mounted on the head, interengaging means carried by the sleeve and hangers respectively arranged to be interengaged or released by appropriate turning movements of the sleeve, anti-iriction means between the sleeve and head arranged to lock the sleeve against detachment from the head, packing means between the hanger and head, a pressure head adapted to fit into. said seat and to surround the pipe, said pressure head being composed of confronting sections whose upper ends are hinged together at one side, the midportion of said head being formed of resilient packing material, one section of the pressure headhaving a mortise and the other section having a tenon adapted to fit into said mortise, a spring seated dog on one section of the pressure-head adapted to engage the tenon to lock said sections together about said pipe and a retainer cap detachably secured to the hanger and engageable with the upper end of the pressure head.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a downwardly tapering premure head formed of complemental confronting sections, arcuate in cross sectional contour and hinged together at one side, each section of said pressure head having an external keyway, said keyways being in alignment, arcuate keys fitted in said keyways, means for latching said sections about a pipe, said keys being movable about the keyways into position to break the joints between the sections when the sections are latched together.

GRANVILLE A. HUMASON. 

